Machine for sizing articles including blueberries



June 29, 1965 P. F. JONES ETAL MACHINE FOR SIZING ARTICLES INCLUDING BLUEBERRIES 2 Sheets-sheaf 1 m an 16/7 66 /3 00 f/VVE/VTOKfi Pau/ .7 Jonas Horace 5 Me k/bben @oflanc/ 6. 7770 AT TN E1 Filed Feb. 4, 1963 June 29, 1965 P. F. JONES ETAL I 3,191,772

momma FOR sxzme ARTICLES mcwnme Hummus Filed Feb. 4, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pou/ 'fdones Horace 5. Mc K/bbefl Ko/mna 5. Thompson Eve/'7 C. 6/0/70/1 BY 1 I I Q OR' United States Patent 3,191,772 MACHINE son srzmc Anrrcrns rNcrumNc BLUEBERRIES Pan! F. Jones, Dowagiac, Horace E. Mciiihben, Grand .iunction, Roiianri S. Thompson, Colours, and Evert Carl Graham, Bloomingdaie, Mich, assignors to Blueberry Equipment, Incorporated, South Haven, Mich.

Fiied Feb. 4, 1%3, Ser. No. 256,799 11 Ciaims. (Cl. 269-102) This invention relates to improvements in machine for sizing articles including blueberries. The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a sizing machine that is infinitely adjustable, within its range of adjustment, as to the size of berries or articles that will be separated by the machine.

Second, to provide a sizing machine that is relatively easily adjusted to different ranges of sizes to be separated.

Third, to provide a berry or article sizing machine in which a belt consisting of spaced parallel rods is connected for adjustable spacing by a pair of stretchable spring or flexible belts trained over a set of pulleys with one pair of pulleys adjustable relative to the others to change the lengths of the belts and the spacing between the rods.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings of which there are two sheets illustrate a highly practical form of the sizing machine of the invention.

PEG. 1 is a side elevational view of the machine shown in full lines in adjusted position to retain and pass articles above a relatively small size while separating extra small articles. The dotted position of the machine shows an adjusted position to pass only larger articles and separate out an increased size of relatively small articles.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational View of the machine with parts broken away.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 44 in PEG. 3, showing the connection between the cross' rods and the stretchable belts, and the engagement between the belts and the supporting rollers of the conveyor.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 55 in FIG. 2.

The machine is supported on a suitable rectangular box shaped framework having corner uprights 1 and 2. The front uprights 2 are longer than the rear uprights 1. Inclined side plates 3 secured along the sides of the uprights rotatably support an upper rear shaft 4 and an upper front shaft 5. A lower front shaft 6 is supported in bearings 7 secured to the rear sides of the front uprights. One rear upright 1 supports a relatively large ear support plate 8 while the opposite upright supports a narrow bearing plate 9. A rock shaft 14 is journalled in the plates and carries a gear 11 adjacent to the plate 3. Arms 1-2 projecting upwardly carry an adjustable cross shaft 13.

The shafts 4, 5, 6 and 13 have concavely grooved pulleys 14 mounted thereon in equally spaced relation which function to support and drive stretchable loops 15 or" helically coiled springs. The upper shafts 4 and 5 project beyond the back side of the machine and have drive pulleys 16 thereon that are driven by the belt 17 from a drive pulley 18. The drive pulley 18 is driven from a gear reduction in the gear box 19 built onto the end of the motor The motor 20' is supported on a ice suitable belt tightener mount 21 at the bottom of the frame work.

The loops 15 of longitudinally stretchable material such as the helically coiled springs illustrated are trained in spaced relation around the several pulleys 14. A multiplicity of cross rods 23 have notches 24 cut or ground in the ends to lit a turn 22 of the springs 15 and are secured thereto in equally spaced relation by cotter pins 25 looped around a turn of the spring and passed upwardly or outwardly through the ends of the rods and spread in clamping relation to the rods and springs as at 26. (See FIG. 4.) The results is a longitudinally stretchable belt of variably spaced rods having an upwardly inclined and advancing upper reach 27. Berries or articles t be sized are delivered onto the lower rear or trailing end of the belt through a feed chute or hopper 28. Articles smaller than the spacing of the rods fall through the upper reach 27 and are collected in the reject or small article hopper and chute 29. All articles exceeding the spacing of the rods are carried up and over to the large article chute or hopper 30. In order to insure gentle delivery of larger berries, the center of the upper front shaft 5 is a drum 31 that is tangent to the rods 23 as they pass thereover. The belt and rods are directed to a full inverted position by rollers 32 on an idler shaft 33 mounted on the framework below and to the rear of the shaft 5. Marginal size berries or articles are thus supported on the drum and dumped out so the drum inverts. In order to further prevent marginal size articles from sticking between the rods the bottoms of the rods are ground off fiat as at 241 so that the bottoms of articles A are supported on the drum before they are gripped at their diameters between two rods.

Adjustment of the spacing between the rods is effected by turning the hand wheel 34 on the shaft 35 supported by the bearing 36 on the front upright. The shaft inclines rearwardly to a yoke 37 on the plate 8 and drives a worm 38 engaged with the gear 11 to swing the arms 12 and shaft 13 to lengthen or shorten the loops 15. If an adjustment of rod spacing beyond the range of adjustment of the shaft 13 is desired, the cotter pin connections 2446 can be removed and the rods respaced on the coil springs 15.

The machine is particularly suited for sizing and grading small fruit such as blueberries but, as noted, can be used to size most any article. Guards 39 are swingably supported on the side plates 3 to overlie the edges of the upper reach of the rod belt.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A machine for sizing articles such as blueberries comprising,

a supporting framework, upper cross shafts journaled in said frame at the front and rear thereof with the front shaft higher than the rear shaft,

drive pulleys on the ends of said shafts,

a third shaft journaled in said frame below said front shaft,

a pair of upright arms pivoted to said frame below said rear shaft and supporting a fourth shaft for swinging adjustment from front to rear of said frame,

pulleys having concave rims mounted in spaced on said shafts,

helically coiled springs arranged in spaced loops and trained around the concave rims on said pulleys,

a plurality of cross rods having notches formed in their ends and secured to selected turns of said springs by cotter pins in spaced parallel relation around said loops on the outer sides thereof,

a motor having a belt drive connection to said drive pulleys on said upper shafts,

pairs a means connected to adjust said fourth shaft toward and away from said other shafts to change the length of said spring loops and the spacing between said rods,

an idler roll journaled in said frame and engaging the outer sides of said rods below and behind the front of the pulleys on said front top shaft,

a feed chute positioned to deliver articles to the lower end of the belt formed by said rods between said top-shafts,

a first collector trough positioned under the top reach of said belt to collect articles falling between said rods,

and a second collector trough positioned to collect articles carried over said front upper cross shaft by said rods.

2. A machine for sizing articles such as blueberries comprising,

a supporting framework, upper cross shafts journaled in said frame at the front and rear thereof with the front shaft higher than the rear shaft,

drive pulleys on said shafts,

a third shaft journaled in said frame below said front shaft,

means supporting a fourth shaft for swinging adjustmentfrom front to rear of said frame,

pulleys having concave rims mounted in spaced pairs on said shafts,

helically coiled springs arranged in spaced loops and trained around the concave rims on said pulleys,

a plurality of cross rods having notches formed in their ends and secured to selected turns of said springs in spaced parallel relation around said loops on the outer sides thereof,

a motor having a belt drive connection to said drive pulleys on said upper shafts,

means connected to adjust said fourth shaft toward and away from said other shafts to change the length of said spring loops and the spacing between said rods,

a feed chute positioned to deliver articles to the lower end of the belt formed by said rods between said top shafts,

a first collector trough positioned under the top reach of said belt to collect articles falling between said rods,

and a second collector trough positioned to collect articles carried over said front upper cross shaft by said rods.

3. A machine for sizing articles such as blueberries comprising,

a supporting framework, upper cross shafts journaled in said frame at the front and rear thereof with the front shaft higher than the rear shaft,

drive pulleys on said shafts,

a third shaft journaled in said frame below said upper shafts,

means supporting a fourth shaft for swinging adjustment from front to rear of said frame,

pulleys having concave rims mounted in spaced pairs on said shafts,

helically coiled springs arranged in spaced loops and trained around the concave rims on said pulleys,

a plurality of cross rods having notches formed in their ends and secured to selected turns of said springs in spaced parallel relation around said loops on the outer sides thereof,

a motor having a belt drive connection to said drive pulleys on said upper shafts,

means connected to adjust said fourth shaft toward and away from said other shafts to change the length of said spring loops and the spacing between said rods,

a feed chute positioned to deliver articles to the lower end of the belt formed by said rods between said top shafts,

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a first collector trough positioned under the top reach of said belt to collect articles falling between said rods,

and a second collector trough positioned to collect articles carried over said front upper cross shaft by said rods.

4. A machine for sizing articles such as blueberries comprising,

a supporting framework, upper cross shafts journaled in said frame at the front and rear thereof,

drive pulleys on said shafts,

a third shaft journaled in said frame below said upper shafts,

means supporting a fourth shaft for swinging adjustment from front to rear of said frame,

pulleys mounted in spaced pairs on said shafts,

longitudinally elastic belts arranged in spaced loops and trained around said pulleys,

plurality of cross rods having notches formed in their ends and secured in spaced parallel relation around said loops on the outer sides thereof,

motor having a belt drive connection to said drive pulleys on said upper shafts,

means connected to adjust said fourth shaft toward and away from said other shafts to change the length of said loops and the spacing between said rods,

a feed chute positioned to deliver articles to the lower end of the belt formed by said rods between said top shafts,

a first collector trough positioned under the top reach of said belt to collect articles falling between said rods,

and a second collector trough positioned to collect articles carried over said front upper cross shaft by said rods.

5. A machine for sizing articles such as blueberries comprising,

a supporting framework, upper cross shafts journaled in said frame at the front and rear thereof,

means supporting a third shaft for adjustment toward and away from said upper shafts,

pulleys having concave rims mounted in spaced pairs on said shafts,

helically coiled springs arranged in spaced loops and trained around the concave rims on said pulleys,

a plurality of cross rods having notches formed in their ends and secured to selected turns of said springs by cotter pins in spaced parallel relation around said loops on the outer sides thereof,

a drive pulley on one of said shafts,

a motor having a belt drive connection to said drive pulley,

means connected to adjust said third shaft toward and away from said other shafts to change the length of said spring loops and the spacing between said an idler roll journaled in said frame and engaging the outer sides of said rods below and behind the front of the pulleys on said front top shaft,

a feed chute positioned to deliver articles to the rear end of the belt formed by said rods between said top shafts,

a first collector trough positioned under the top reach of said belt to collect articles falling between said rods,

and a second collector trough positioned to collect articles carried over said front upper cross shaft by said rods.

6. A machine for sizing articles such as blueberries comprising,

longitudinally elastic belts arranged in spaced loops and trained around said pulleys,

a plurality of cross rods having their ends fixedly secured to said belts in spaced parallel relation around said loops on the outer sides thereof,

a drive pulley on one of said shafts,

a motor havinga belt drive connection to said drive pulley.

means connected to adjust said third shaft toward and away from said other shafts to change the length of said loops and the spacing between said rods,

a feed chute positioned to deliver articles to the rear end of the belt formed by said rods between said top shafts,

a first collector trough positioned under the top reach of said belt to collect articles falling between said rods,

and a second collector trough positioned to collect articles carried over said front cross shaft by said rods.

7. A fruit and article sizing machine comprising,

a pair of flexible and stretchable loops formed of helical coil springs,

a plurality of cross rods detachably and selectively connected to fixed points in spaced parallel relation to said loops to form a stretchable belt of variable rod spacing,

shaft means supporting said belt in a loop with an upwardly advancing inclined upper reach,

means connected to drive said belt,

an adjustable shaft having pulleys engaging said stretchable loops and moveable to adjust the length of said belt and the spacing of said rods,

means for delivering articles to be sized to the lower trailing end of said upper reach of said belt,

a first collector trough positioned under said upper reach to collect small articles falling therethrough, and a second collector trough positioned to collect larger articles carried over the leading end of said upper reach.

8. A fruit and article sizing machine comprising,

a pair of flexible and stretchable loops formed of helical coil springs,

a plurality of cross rods connected to fixed points in spaced parallel relation to said loops to form a stretchable belt of variable rod spacing,

shaft means supporting said belt in a loop with an advancing upper reach,

means connected to drive said belt,

an adjustable shaft having pulleys engaging said stretchable loops and moveable to adjust the length of said belt and the spacing of said rods,

means for delivering articles to be sized to the trailing end of said upper reach of said belt,

a first collector trough positioned under said upper reach to collect small articles falling therethrough,

and a second collector trough positioned to collect larger articles carried over the leading end of said upper reach.

9. A fruit and article sizing machine comprising,

a pair of flexible and stretchable loops,

a plurality of cross rods connected to fixed points in spaced parallel relation to said loops to form a stretchable belt of variable rod spacing,

shaft means supporting said belt in a loop with an advancing upper reach,

means connected to drive said belt,

an adjustable shaft having pulleys engaging said stretchable loops and moveable to adjust the length of said belt and the spacing of said rods,

means for delivering articles to be sized to the trailing end of said upper reach of said belt,

a first collector trough positioned under said upper reach to collect small articles falling therethrough,

and a second collector trough positioned to collect larger articles carried over the leading end of said upper reach.

10. A fruit and article sizing machine comprising,

a pair of flexible and stretchable loops,

a plurality of cross rods connected to fixed points in spaced relation to said loops to form a stretchable belt of variable rod spacing,

means supporting said belt in a loop with an advancing upper reach,

means connected to drive said belt,

an adjustable shaft having pulleys engaging said stretchable loops and moveable to adjust the length of said belt and the spacing of said rods,

means for delivering articles to be sized to the trailing end of said upper reach of said belt,

a first collector trough positioned under said upper reach to collect small articles falling therethrough,

a second collector trough positioned to collect larger articles carried over the leading end of said upper reach,

and a drum extending between said loops at the inner sides of said rods at the leading end of said belt to support articles projecting through said rods.

11. A fruit and article sizing machine comprising,

a pair of flexible and stretchable loops,

a plurality of cross rods connected to fixed points in spaced relation to said loops to form a stretchable belt of variable rod spacing,

means supporting said belt in a loop with an advancing upper reach,

means connected to drive said belt,

an adjustable shaft having pulleys engaging said stretchable loops and moveable to adjust the length of said belt and the spacing of said rods,

means for delivering articles to be sized to the trailing end of said upper reach of said belt,

a first collector trough positioned under said upper reach to collect small articles falling therethrough,

a second collector trough positioned to collect larger articles carried over the leading end of said upper reach,

and a drum extending between said loops at the inner sides of said rods at the leading end of said belt to support articles projecting through said rods,

the surfaces of said rods being cut away on the inner side of said belt to reduce the distance of the side edges of the rods from the surface of said drum.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,600,037 9/26 Bullard 209-102 X 2,782,922 2/57 Bertinot 209102 2,893,560 7/59 Bixby -2 209394 2,916,145 12/59 Kaiser 209-394 X FOREIGN PATENTS 76,426 5/ 19 Austria.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Acting Primary Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR SIZING ARTICLES SUCH AS BLUEBERRIES COMPRISIG, A SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK, UPPER CROSS SHAFTS JOURNALED IN SAID FRAME AT THE FRONT AND REAR THEREOF WITH THE FRONT SHAFT HIGHER THAN THE REAR SHAFT, DRIVE PULLEYS ON THE ENDS OF SAID SHAFTS, A THIRD SHAFT JOURNALED IN SAID FRAME BELOW SAID FRONT SHAFT, A PAIR OF UPRIGHT ARMS PIVOTED TO SAID FRAME BELOW SAID REAR SHAFT AND SUPPORTING A FOURTH SHAFT FOR SWINGING ADJUSTMENT FROM FRONT TO REAR OF SAID FRAME, PULLEYS HAVING CONCAVE RIMS MOUNTED IN SPACED PAIRS ON SAID SHAFTS, HELICALLY COILED SPRINGS ARRANGED IN SPACED LOOPS AND TRAINED AROUND THE CONCAVE RIMS ON SAID PULLEYS, A PLURALITY OF CROSS RODS HAVING NOTCHES FORMED IN THEIR ENDS AND SECURED TO SELECTED TURNS OF SAID SPRINGS BY COTTER PINS IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION AROUND SAID LOOPS ON THE OUTER SIDES THEREOF, A MOTOR HAVING A BELT DRIVE CONNECTION TO SAID DRIVE PULLEYS ON SAID UPPER SHAFTS, MEANS CONNECTED TO ADJUST SAID FOURTH SHAFT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID OTHER SHAFTS TO CHANGE THE LENGTH OF SAID SPRING LOOPS AND THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID RODS, AN IDLER ROLL JOURNALED IN SAID FRAME AND ENGAGE THE OUTER SIDES OF SAID RODS BELOW AND BEHIND THE FRONT OF THE PULLEYS ON SAID FRONT TOP SHAFT, A FEED CHUTE POSITIONED TO DELIVER ARTICLES TO THE LOWER END OF THE BELT FORMED BY SAID RODS BETWEEN SAID TOP SHAFTS, A FIRST COLLECTOR TROUGH POSITIONED UNDER THE TOP REACH OF SAID BELT TO COLLECT ARTICLES FALLING BETWEEN SAID RODS, AND A SECOND COLLECTOR TROUGH POSITIONED TO COLLECT ARTICLES CARRIED OVER SAID FRONT CROSS SHAFT BY SAID RODS. 